When I polled our Facebook followers a few months back about which character they would most like to have a character themed meal for, the winner was resoundingly our lovely young queen Margaery.

This should be a delightfully tasty meal to create. The weather is warm, fruits are ripening on tree and vine, and there is an abundance of flowers everywhere. It’s a perfect time for some Highgarden fare, instead of the heavy stews from Castle Black that get me through the winter!

Because Highgarden is so rich in edible goods, and the Tyrells wealthy enough to purchase what they cannot grow, we pretty much have our pick of ingredients. I’m thinking the dishes should be lighter fare, not quite as informal as tapas, but not far off, either. Something including floral notes is a must, whether roses or something else. My elderflowers are just coming into bloom, so I think perhaps those will go into a drink.

Grains and fresh fruits are always good. After all, the Tyrells brought wagonloads of bread to distribute amongst the poor of King’s Landing to bolster support for Margaery, so we can guess that a variety of grains are grown in the Reach. Overall, I suspect the meal should be flavorful, interesting, fresh, and healthy.

So, what do you all think? Have any regional favorites that you think are just begging to be included in a Highgarden meal? As always, I’ll pick out my favorite suggestions and incorporate them into the finished meal, so points for creativity. ;)

Definitely revisit edible flowers – and do not limit yourself to candied varieties! Tropaeolum has edible flowers with a horseradish-like hotness to them, perfect for garnishing savoury dishes of dark meats, also pretty strong tasting and somewhat radish-like are dill blossoms. Dandelions are edible, albeit not as flavorful as the last two blossoms. Bellis perennis (daisy) has a carrot-like flavor, so those tow could be used to augment salads or maybe as garnishes for a filling side dish.

I keep picturing dates stuffed with marzipan (or the Westerosi equivalent) with honey drizzled on top or Poached Pears. Margaery is a sensual character, so I think a warming, aromatic, and…ahem…sticky dish would be appropriate.

I can see Margaery having a number of rose-shaped molds, dishes, and baking pans to create rose-shaped foods. Now that she’s married to Tommen, I can also see her favoring some aphrodisiacs in her meal, like pomegranate, honey, pine nuts, and almonds. I don’t remember whether Westeros has chocolate, but if they do, I definitely expect Margaery would have some!

They’ve aged him up in the show to around early-to-mid teens, and he and Margaery have happily consummated their marriage. (Four times on the first night, if you can believe her gossiping with her handmaidens!)

My favorite flower food by far is dandelion jelly. It smells like honey, tastes very much like sweet camomile tea and is quite lovely if you leave the petals in it. This year, I made it with strawberries and it is awesome! I also enjoy adding edible flower petals to garden salads. Panseies have a slight peppery taste, and, of course, all parts of the dandelion are edible.

Rose shaped rolls – white bread, because white bread flour is expensive – and tiny rose-shaped cakes made with rose water and candied rose petals. Her food should all be stuff that’s easy to nibble (because ladies are supposed to be dainty when they eat; no tucking into massive plates) and because eating with the fingers is sensual and so is Margaery.

Cersei likes eating boar because it reminds her of her victory over Robert. Is there something Margaery can eat that symbolizes her triumph over Cersei in marrying Tommen? Can’t see her tucking into roast lion, but maybe something lion shaped that she eats . . .

a few strawberries, sliced and whole blue, black and raspberries, for garnish

Directions:
Place chilled heavy cream in a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, being careful not to overheat. Set aside or chill until ready to use. (You might need to whisk it or beat it again for a few seconds if you don’t use it right away and it separates.)
Place berries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and add vanilla extract and rosewater. Mash the berries, leaving some larger pieces. Let stand for a few minutes.
Add about half of the mashed berries to the whipped cream, folding with a large silicone spatula. Reserve the remaining berries to use when serving.
To serve: Spoon some of the cream into four serving glasses or dishes, top with some of the remaining mashed berries, and another spoonful or two of the cream top with a few sliced strawberries and other berries. Serve immediately, or place in fridge to chill until ready to serve.

The Reach is a wealthy, well stocked and decadent place probably at the forefront of culinary technology.

What about consume of boar and rose hip? A playful interactivity that is very Margaery could be achieved by having a delicate mound of finely diced apple, carrot, onion and confit of pig cheek in the centre of a large bowl, surrounded by fresh edible flowers. Then the consume, served separately in a jug, could be poured over the top at table causing the flowers to float up and mingle with the soup.

Something light and girly, I believe! Edible flowers would match perfectly into a salad with slightly sweet vinaigrette, some simple white meat, and as for dessert, some colorful and fruity cake. As for drink, I would go for sangría made with lots of ice and red fruits – in my favorite bar they mix the sweet fruity wine with frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc) and frozen cherries and the result is always awesome!

How about a light, sweet almond-rose blancmange for dessert? I always think of Highgarden having a rather Californian climate, so almonds come to mind as a real possibility. And they’re not far from Dorne, so there’s the whole “Mediterranean/Middle Eastern carryover of almonds into Europe” parallel. Almond pudding, almond macarons… any of those could work; but I think the almond-rose combo makes for the perfect Highgarden theme. And I can imagine Margaery eating it as a favorite comfort food thinking of home… a sweet treat from childhood that reminds her of home and family.

Maybe rose hip soup served with crisp bread? Something with roasted fennel could also be good. I love the elderflower idea! Perhaps elderflower mead with honey? Main dish wise,something light might be best. Deconstructed food could work well in this setting, it’s still light, but filling, and looks great plated. I can picture presentation being just as important as taste to the Tyrells. I think of dainty foods and salads when I think of foods that Margaery might enjoy.

The first thing that came to my mind was hibiscus blossoms in syrup – used as an addition to white or sparkling wine. A rose-shaped glass filled with light greenish summer wine with a blossom sitting at the bottom leaving red trails – sweet, sensory and still girlish. Also, Highgarden feels like the only place in Westeros where they would grow flowers for food.

I’m sure someone’s mentioned the rose-shaped lemon cakes from the books, but just in case… In ‘A Clash of Kings’ Catelyn attends a feast at Bitterbridge that Lord Caswell holds in honor of Margaery and Renly. (It’s the same one that had the sumptuous dessert spread of cream swans, sugar unicorns, honey biscuits, apple crisps… etc.) I’ll bet *anything* the rose-shaped lemon cakes were a direct acknowledgement of Margaery. Maybe some of the other foods served were also nods to the Tyrells? At any rate, that seems like the style of dish she’d have eaten a lot as a kid – it’s decadent and what’s not to love about your house crest rendered in cake? I also back the ideas of “double entendre foods” and anything small and delicate – foods that she could nibble faux-innocuously at… That just feels like the kind of thing Margaery would do if she could get away with it.

On the show, the costumers purposely gave Margaery a much lighter, gentler feel, she’s a breath of fresh air. And when I think of the Reach being abundant in crops etc., I think of France. So lots of very delicate pastries, and a very rich bread culture; I can see Margaery gossiping with her ladies-in-waiting over delicate white-tea and French macarons, and I think of Swedish “prinsesstårta” when I think of something that could be Margaery’s especial favourite, something she would have at her name-day feast: fresh berry preserves *lots of refined sugar*, pastry cream, fine sponge cake, froths of fresh whipped cream, and coloured marzipan (blue, Margaery’s signature colour) and of course the rose that traditionally decorates the cake would have to be real, or gilded marzipan/icing.

A croquembouche would be absolutely perfect as the showstopper at a Highgarden feast: filled with different pastry creams, decorated with edible flowers, sugared, honey-roasted or gilded almonds (or all!), spun-sugar, fresh strawberries/raspberries. It’s fiddly, rich, delicate and temperamental, ornamental but concealing a lot of complexity, absolutely stunning: Margaery.

Dishes of sugared almonds, stuffed dates, olives, fresh figs and honey would be laid out in Margaery’s rooms for her and her ladies to pick at, and please add pistachios! I can definitely see Margaery wandering around the gardens picking the arils out of a pomegranate with a needle! Basically any screen-shot of the food/patisserie in the 2006 Marie Antoinette film would be ideal for sweet little nibbles, teeny-tiny little choux buns iced and decorated, dainty almond-shaped biscuits, tiny tarts. Brioche buns, baked with an orange-liqueur-soaked sugar-cube in the centre for a surprise treat – or rose liqueur. You could even do “picnic” foods for Margaery, obviously more luxurious, but imagine her and her handmaids having lunch in the gardens at Highgarden, it would be luxurious but casual, sprawled on the lawns among the roses.

For savoury things, I like the idea of giving Cersei’s lust for boar a nod, as suggested above: if Tommen is still considered a Baratheon, Margaery could eat a lot of venison. Venison with juniper and orange, maybe. Definitely keep to the “younger” meats for Margaery; lamb is rich and delicate at the same time, maybe slow-roasted with garlic and thyme so the meat falls apart, perfect to pick at with your fingers. And as winter comes, a rich lamb tagine-like dish made with dates, served with a lemon-pomegranate couscous. There is also a recipe for sticky lemon and lavender chicken I found in a Rachel Khoo cookbook, that seems just light and flavoursome enough for Margaery to have. White asparagus soup could be something for everyday, white asparagus being rarer and more expensive, and very seasonal.

There definitely has to be something…sparkling on the table! Westerosi “Prosecco”, served by itself or as a cocktail with grenadine, pomegranate arils and orange twists. Or amaretto over ice. At their first meal in King’s Landing, Arya and Sansa’s drinks are far more decorative and beautiful, cape-gooseberries and star-fruit slices decorating the glasses, so you could even create a Westerosi “Pimms” enjoyed at tourneys and masquerades in Highgarden! Even iced teas, flavoured by peach or pomegranate.

You can tell I’m too excited by thoughts of food! I am absolutely jealous of this undertaking as a whole, I hope you continue to enjoy the hell out of recreating GRRM’s culinary world! And I will continue to drool at the photos of your hard work!

I envision poultry — either something delicate like a cornish game hen, or dramatic like swan roasted in its feathers. Accompanied with vegetables that are carved into interesting shapes (carrots) or are naturally pretty (brussel sprouts). Perhaps a risotto, for more delicate, subtle flavors?

Desert could be purple jellies as an homage to the poisoned amethysts of the Purple Wedding.

I see a savory tart (because of how she uses her feminine charms to get her way, and how others see her) made with a variety of roasted and/or grilled vegetables, fresh cheese, and a drizzling of oil and balsamic. Maybe some kind of balsamic reduction as a sauce? I think that would be a good nod to the bounty of Highgarden.

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